Here’s the missing tree that I talked about in my last post. I hadn’t painted it in yet when I shared my painting. Tammy from Beads by Color was so kind and really tried to figure out what I was talking about. Thanks Tammy! Here is both paintings, a little further along. I need to break out my paper collection and add some more papers to them next. I’m not sure if I like the second one. I’m planning on... Read more

I’m finding it easier to start paintings than to finish them. I’m not sure if this is a monster robot or a cityscape. This one is more planned. It’s an interpretation of this photo I took for reference. The tree rising above the houses is an ancient oak tree, easily a yard in diameter. It’s probably one of the oldest trees in Lansing, and I’ve always thought of it as the daddy tree in the neighborhood, watching over all the... Read more

In my search for Monet Moments (not a registered trademark) I took my younger daughter to a local park. I snapped this first shot while shouting, “Don’t pick it! Don’t Pick IT!” Trilliums are beautiful and endangered so here in Michigan it’s illegal to pick them. I’m not sure if that’s how it works everywhere. I must try and get to some of our other nature centers around town and see if I can find some of the red trilliums.... Read more

I took a couple of pictures in my basement. As I do my laundry, I notice the light more down where it’s limited than outside on a bright sunny day. It’s the lack of light, that makes it more beautiful. I’ve been thinking about the Senses, Leah’s theme for the month over at Creative Every Day. I’ve been pondering sight. I love light. The more immersed I become in creativity and art, the more I become obsessed with light. I... Read more

I’m so excited! I found a local group of artists who are into all things altered and creative! I’mreally looking forward to getting to know them, I already picked up a number of great ideas! That’s not all I’ve been doing, I’m working on three new aprons that I cut out the other day. Here’s a sneak peak of some of the fabrics I’m working with. I still need to do some more block printing. I want to get at... Read more

I just finished a new block print, this is the first printing of it. Of course there’s a bit of something stuck to it so there’s a blob in the middle. I designed it to be printed in dark ink on a light background, but the only ink pad I had was white, so light on dark it became. Still, I like my little dusting beetle with her bucket of suds. I’ve come up with another one in my domestic... Read more

After I went jogging last night I had a burst of creativity. I made a new shrine. It’s made of a wooden bead box discarded by my daughter, willow twigs I collected in college, rusted parts I scavenged in my parents basement, a piece of a treasured rusted measuring tape (I don’t know what I’ll do when I use it up) A watch part my DH got me and a domino. The thing I got really excited about was the... Read more

I wanted to thank everyone who came to support me and check out the Lansing Recycled Art Show. It was so much more fun with my friends. I only had my little camera, so I apologize for the quality of the photos. Yay for winning an honorable mention! I took this one of another artists work before my camera died. I love how he used real clock faces, and the bottom is an old appliance. Read more

So much has been going on in the past week! We celebrated the equinox and had our first fire out in the back yard last weekend, the kids were thrilled that marshmallow toasting season is now open. My DH has his birthday this week so I’ve been scrambling to finish his presents (I’ll talk more about them after I give them to him!) Plus it was the opening of the art show I’m in, and the due date for my... Read more

So I’m starting my second year doing Sharon Astyk’s Independance Days Challenge. She’s an amazing woman and writer who chose to move out to a farm and find a more sustainable way to live. With climate change and the end of oil looming over us like dark clouds I think it’s so important to step up and do what we can to make the transition to a lower energy world. So many resources go to food production. Huge amounts of... Read more